Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 16

Geosynthetics and sustainability: How is our industry doing?
and the updated version (Organisation
for Economic Co-operat ion and
Development 2016). Another excellent
commentary on this topic is in Sandel
(2012). In the geosynthetics field, these
phenomena display themselves in abandoned
mines, tailings dams, fertilizer
production sites and other sites that the
geosynthetics industry regularly works
with in cleanup and site stabilization
(Figure 2). The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Superfund program
addresses this sort of behavior: humans
leaving a stain on the earth in the name
of manufacturing and progress and those
who have profited from the use of these
resources leaving desolated and environmentally
depleted sites, some having
declared (legal) bankruptcy and avoided
financial responsibility.
Part of the good news is that humanFIGURE
2 The author at a geosynthetic-covered hazardous waste site in Paducah, Ky.: Part of
sustainability is keeping humanity's waste from fouling the earth's environment.
linear economy
raw materials
production
economy with feedback loops/
recycling economy
raw materials
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waste
niamhpearce.com
FIGURE 3 (top and bottom [L to R]) The current human economy is linear and unsustainable,
a recycling economy is progress, and a circular economy is our target for sustainable behaviors.
Illustration courtesy Niamh Pearce
16
Geosynthetics | April May 2022
use
waste
circular economy/
cradle-to-cradle model
kind is changing, developing plans and
programs for improving sustainable
behaviors (Figure 3). The United Nations
Division for Sustainable Development
Goals (DSDG) has a comprehensive set of
Sustainable Development Goals (United
Nations 2022). The United Nations
(2015) adopted " Transforming Our
World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, " which provides a shared
blueprint for peace and prosperity for
people and the planet, now and into the
future. At its heart are 17 Sustainable
Development Goals, which are an
urgent call to action by the 193 signatory
countries-developed and developing-in
a global partnership. Goals 1
and 2 address poverty and starvation: A
hungry person is interested in obtaining
food and not likely to worry about the
long-term impacts to the environment.
This extends into goals 3 and 4: good
health and well-being, and quality education.
Geosynthetics apply particularly to
goal 3, and they significantly contribute
to other goals (clean water, affordable
energy and more efficient infrastructure
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Geosynthetics April/May 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Geosynthetics April/May 2022

Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - Cover1
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - Cover2
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 1
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 2
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 3
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 4
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 5
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 6
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 7
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 8
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 9
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 10
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 11
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 12
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 13
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 14
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 15
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 16
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 17
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 18
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 19
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 20
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 21
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 22
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 23
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 24
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 25
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 26
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 27
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 28
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 29
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 30
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 31
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 32
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 33
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 34
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 35
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 36
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 37
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 38
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 39
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 40
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 41
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 42
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 43
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - 44
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - Cover3
Geosynthetics April/May 2022 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-april-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-february-march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-december-2023-january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-october-november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geoysynthetics-august-september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-june-july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-april-may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-february-march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-december-2022-january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-october-november-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-august-september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-june-july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-april-may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-february-march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-december-2021-january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-october-november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-august-september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-june-july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-april-may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-february-march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/1220GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/1020GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0820GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0620GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0420GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0220GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/1219GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/1019GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0819GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0619GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0419GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0219GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/1218GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/1018GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0818GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0618GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0418GS
https://www.nxtbook.com/ifai/geosynthetics/0218GS
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com